How much is having ANOTHER bike worth? Cost versus Use.

For the last couple of months, I have had the strong desire for a new bike. A trail bike. Lots of travel. Meaty tires. Short stem. Wide bars. (Specifically a Yeti 575). I feel like this new bike would fit nicely with my current rides: Salsa Spearfish (endurance), 29er HT, and carbon road bike. However, I know that once the spring comes, I will be focused on riding the HT and Spearfish for races. In the summer I take some time off, then a few more races in the fall. How much, then, would I ride this *would be* trail machine?

Once per month? Twice per month? More?

I could go with the Enduro build ($2700). I wouldnt change anything on it- it's made to have fun. Would it be worth it?

I could demo the same (and similar) bikes for $50 a day. 60 demos for what I could pay to own the Yeti.

Which is better? At what point will you ride a bike enough to justify the cost?

I have two mountain bikes. One 26er HT and a 29er HT. I love them both. I pretty much try to alternate every ride but if I don't it doesn't really matter to me. Doesn't give me much chance to get bored and having two actually makes me appreciate them more.

Remember to add in maintenance and wear costs. That said, if you have the money and want a second, it's not unimaginable - lots of folks do it. To save a bit, you could look on CL or the Bay for a lightly used one too.

Four bikes for me -- hardtail, full-suspension, road bike, and fixed gear commuter. They all have their uses. I tend to ride the hardtail more during the winter because it has disc brakes, which are much less of an issue in the snow than the v-brakes on the full-suspension are. I tend to use the full-suspension more for races, but some courses are mellow and don't require suspension, so I use the hardtail for those events. Horses for courses.

Also, the proper number of bikes to own is n+1, where n is the number of bikes you currently own.

Second MTB=priceless. Second road bike=priceless. What do you do when your primary ride is down for maintenance? Ride the backup. It's also nice to have different bikes for different trails. Different bikes for different moods on the same trail.

Remember, it's always better to regret something you have done than something you haven't.

"There are those who would say there's something pathological about the need to ride, and they're probably on to something. I'd wager though that most of the society-approved compulsions leave deeper scars in the psyche than a need to go and ride a bicycle on a mountain." Cam McRea

Four bikes for me -- hardtail, full-suspension, road bike, and fixed gear commuter. They all have their uses. I tend to ride the hardtail more during the winter because it has disc brakes, which are much less of an issue in the snow than the v-brakes on the full-suspension are. I tend to use the full-suspension more for races, but some courses are mellow and don't require suspension, so I use the hardtail for those events. Horses for courses.

Also, the proper number of bikes to own is n+1, where n is the number of bikes you currently own.

Needs more bike.

In all seriousness, if you have the money and can justify the extra cost, run with it. It may be "cheaper" to demo a bike, but only until you break something on it. Then you are buying it, whether you want to or not, and likely won't get the repair thrown in.

I agree that if you can afford it, do you have to justify it? You could spend your money on worse things. A second mtb is next on my list (a hardtail) for a better bikepacking platform than what I have now and for whenever I want to change it up.

There is the redundancy that is convenient when one bike is down for longer than a day or two.

I do enjoy switching rides around from time-to-time. I notice a difference between hardtail and FS, as well as AM and Trail.

I do loan my bikes out to select friends when I really want to ride with someone but their one-and-only ride is down (providing they fit my size frame of course).

I get that indescribable, upwelling of feelings when I walk into my shop and look to my left at the row of bikes in line there!
There's just something about acquisition and owning not just 'something' nice... but 'some things' nice!

For the record... I have:
1- FS (with two more in the making and remaking)
1- HT
1- DJ (I got it used just to try it out)
1- SS (my commuter bike)
1- Road Bike (for more serious road riding)
1- Recumbent (currently set up on a trainer for my recovery from hernia surgery)

I have no regrets over purchasing any of these. I did buy the last four used, but my FS and HT were brand-spankin' new.

True... upkeep is a consideration when parts are not interchangeable, and you are keeping both bikes up and running at the same time.

I justify things like my bikes and associated accoutrement by reminding myself that I do not spend money on alcohol, tobacco, T.V. of any sort, xboxintendo gaming stuff, and other assorted vices that my other friends have latched on to.
So with that... I feel fine buying a bike I may ride only once, twice, three times a month.
It's all good!

I can barely find time to ride the one bike I own now, not sure I'd be able to justify a second bike.... Especially in that price range. But if you can afford it, why not go for it? It'd be nice to always have the option.

I have 3 bikes. My primary 26er hard tail. A road bike and my old 26er hard tail. I kept the bike when I upgraded many years ago. I ride the hard tail about once a week and road bike a couple times a week. However that is due to the time I have. Road bike is for short hard rides around the neighborhood to stay fit. Mtb bike is for real 2-3 hr fun rides on the weekends. Old bike is currently on a trainer for my wife. It has been used as a spar back up bike for newbie firend at time. However I am think about using it a tech skills develpmdnt bike. It still has flats and is the perfect bike to practice track stands and bunny hops. Bike is little on the heavy side, but is very durable.

I have a couple bikes now (and I'm trying to get rid of a few), but it's possible to have 1.5 bikes, and swap parts between them.

For example, I once had only a freeride bike, and a 26" XC/AM hardtail, and I only had one set of wheels that I swapped between the two. (luckily the frames had the same rear wheel spacing). It only took a couple of minutes because I had the same brakes/derailures on each one.

It saved me quite a bit of cash when you consider a decent set of wheels is easily 500$, plus tires/rotors. You're looking at 650 easy.

If you regret it, you can always sell it. Although, if it were me, I wouldn't buy it until I wholeheartedly WANT to make the purchase.

There is no way to "justify" the cost of buying a bike unless it is an important mode of transportation for you.

For the first time in 47 years I understand why people buy something they don't "need". I used to look at snowmobiles, sports equipment, boats, etc as a huge waste of money. Now I get it. At the end of my life, I will not look back and wish I had spent less on bikes and biking trips.

For the last couple of months, I have had the strong desire for a new bike. A trail bike. Lots of travel. Meaty tires. Short stem. Wide bars. (Specifically a Yeti 575). I feel like this new bike would fit nicely with my current rides: Salsa Spearfish (endurance), 29er HT, and carbon road bike. However, I know that once the spring comes, I will be focused on riding the HT and Spearfish for races. In the summer I take some time off, then a few more races in the fall. How much, then, would I ride this *would be* trail machine?

Once per month? Twice per month? More?

I could go with the Enduro build ($2700). I wouldnt change anything on it- it's made to have fun. Would it be worth it?

I could demo the same (and similar) bikes for $50 a day. 60 demos for what I could pay to own the Yeti.

Which is better? At what point will you ride a bike enough to justify the cost?

Justification is 100% in your head. Do you have the disposable income?? Do you want it?? You can pretty much answer your own question here.

Second MTB=priceless. Second road bike=priceless. What do you do when your primary ride is down for maintenance? Ride the backup. It's also nice to have different bikes for different trails. Different bikes for different moods on the same trail.

Remember, it's always better to regret something you have done than something you haven't.

If I were to add another bike, it would probably be another XC race bike. Something that comes out of the box racy, and lets me start over with all new components. Mine has an '01 fork anchoring the old and chewed part of its build.

But if I was up-to-date and correctly fitted on all my bikes, I'd definitely be thinking about something radder too. Not sure if it'd be a long-travel hardtail or a big honkin' FS, but something with a really different riding/blasting/plowing down hill experience.

But if I was up-to-date and correctly fitted on all my bikes, I'd definitely be thinking about something radder too. Not sure if it'd be a long-travel hardtail or a big honkin' FS, but something with a really different riding/blasting/plowing down hill experience.

Im fixing to take my rigid steel singlespeed, lower the saddle, and hit the DH flow trail at Oak Mountain state park. It would be way more fun if I had the correct tool for the job!

I have 3:
1.SS, Steel, Fully Rigid, 29er: The punish myself bike, for cold, mud, rain, anger, pain, skill/power improvement, Surprisingly its named after a super model, go figure.
2. HT 29er Custom Titanium: The trail bike, for long rides, races, everyday rides, my primary steed.
3. FS All Mountain 155 travel: The agro bike for big technical rides, shuttling, night rides. For when I want to giggle all the way down hill.

You may be surprised how often you choose one or the other. Once you get the new bike you will be reaching for that more often, but after a few months it will even out. I am very happy with my spread of bikes, covers most bases pretty well.